All the talk ahead of Chelsea's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid will be about the Belgian shot stopper, writes Alex Richards

Middle man: Courtois will be appearing against the club he's contracted to (Photo: Marco Luzzani)

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Given the four sides left in this season's Champions League semi-final draw, there were always going to be major talking points no matter who was paired with who.

While the nine-time winners Real Madrid will continue their 12-year quest for la Decima by taking on holders Bayern Munich - familiar foes who beat them at the same stage in 2012 - led by one of Catalunya's favourite sons, Pep Guardiola, it is perhaps the tie pitting Chelsea with the other team from Madrid, Atletico, which has brought up the biggest stir.

When the Blues signed a highly-rated 19-year-old goalkeeper from Belgian club Genk in 2011, it was a deal which didn't really set pulses racing. With Petr Cech still in his prime, a first-team place was still some way off, and the fact that the player was immediately sent out on loan, like so many young foreign players on Chelsea's books, meant fans could quite rightly think 'well he could turn out quite decent, or we might not even see him.'

However, such has been the rise of Thibaut Courtois in Madrid at the Vicente Calderon - where he is now in the midst of a third successive loan spell - the question isn't so much if he should return to Stamford Bridge as the club's No.1, but when.

And now, with Chelsea set to take on their own goalkeeper in the European Cup's last four later this month - after UEFA declared that the Belgian international must be allowed to play - it's the perfect time for Courtois to show his parent club exactly why he isn't willing to sit on their bench and just how good he is.

But before then, here's a look at some of the things you really need to know about a player who is, arguably, already the finest goalkeeper in world football, at just 21.

The boy from Bree

(Photo: Angel Martinez)

Born in Bree, a city located in the province of Limburg, Courtois began his career at Genk, whose academy he joined at just seven years of age.

He made his first-team debut against Gent on April 17, 2009, when almost a month shy of his 17th birthday, handed the opportunity by interim manager Pierre Denier.

And in preparation for the 2010-11 season, Courtois, then just 18, was named as first choice by coach Frank Vercauteren. The campaign would prove a major success both for Courtois and his club: they claimed a third Belgian Pro League title, while he was named Goalkeeper of the Year and Genk's Player of the Year, after keeping 14 clean sheets in 40 league matches.

Move to Madrid via Stamford Bridge

After his heroics in leading Genk, the 6ft 6in stopper was signed by Chelsea in July 2011 for a fee in the region of £7.8million.

However, his feet barely had time to touch down on English soil before Courtois was immediately sent packing, joining Gregorio Manzano's Atletico Madrid on a season-long loan, replacing Manchester United's new keeper David De Gea.

Early days at Atleti

The banks of the Manzanares may be buoyed by recent events, but back in late 2011 things weren't so.

In the summer of 2011 supporters had been keen to see 2010's Europa League winning manager Quique Sanchez Flores replaced by one of their own, former Spain boss Luis Aragones. However, what they got was a second spell at the club for pragmatic former Mallorca boss Gregorio Manzano. Fans hadn't particularly liked him during his first spell and they remained unconvinced.

And although the club starting the season with 4-0 wins in three of their opening five league fixtures - during which time Courtois kept four clean sheets - Manzano's tenure was brief, characterised by in-fighting - most notably his feud with Jose Antonio Reyes - and he was sacked prior to Christmas.

However, supporters could see that in Courtois he had left a rough diamond. In his opening 22 matches, the Belgian kept 10 clean sheets, starring behind an outfield that had been completely overhauled.

First Madrid derby - an epic failure

(Photo: Michael Regan)

Towards the end of Manzano's tenure, Courtois took in his first experience of the Madrid derby, against Jose Mourinho's Real at the Santiago Bernabeu. It quickly turned into a nightmare.

Los Rojiblancos had taken a 15th minute lead to silence the home support when Adrian Lopez scored, but just seven minutes later the complexion of the match was completely changed.

Courtois, usually so assured when coming from his line, made a rash challenge on Karim Benzema, bringing down the Frenchman and earning himself the first red card of his professional career. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the resulting penalty and Los Blancos ran out 4-1 winners.

Europa League success

(Photo: Getty)

However, following the arrival of Diego Simeone after the winter break, Atleti's season took an upward curve, particularly in the Europa League where they won all NINE of their fixtures as they claimed the trophy.

Led by the goals of Radamel Falcao, and with a Courtois conceding just six times at the back "the aggressive, strong, combative and determined team" that Simeone had wanted on arrival knocked out Lazio, Besiktas, Hannover and Valencia on route to the final, where they met Athletic Bilbao.

Bielsea's side were the competition's darlings, but their ultra-high pressure style had left them drained, and an organised Atletico claimed a 3-0 victory, Falcao (2) and Diego getting the goals. Courtois, now a full Belgian international, was a winner on the European stage.

Not the first time he'll meet his parent club

(Photo: David Ramos)

With all the hoohah about Courtois taking on Chelsea in this year's semi-final, it's easy to forget that this is a situation which has happened before - and Courtois WAS allowed to play.

With Atleti having won the 2012 Europa League and Roberto Di Matteo's Blues having taken the Champions League as their own, the two sides met in Monaco for the UEFA Super Cup in August.

Courtois took his place between the sticks for the Spanish club and they well and truly stuffed the Blues in the principality, Radamel Falcao netting a delightful first half hat-trick and Joao Miranda adding another in the second half as a rampant Atleti ran out 4-1 winners.

2012-13 Season, Courtois goes stratospheric

(Photo: Victor Carretero)

If the Belgian's debut season at the Vicente Calderon showed his remarkable potential, then the 2012-13 campaign saw him show exactly how frighteningly he good he is.

In 37 La Liga matches, Courtois conceded a league low 29 goals, as well as an astonishing 20 clean sheets. It earned him the Ricardo Zamora trophy for the best keeper in the Primera Division. Additionally, he also created a new club record, going 820 minutes without conceding a goal at the Calderon - running from October 28 until March 10.

Consistently brilliant, his piece de resistance came in the Copa del Rey final, as Atletico came from behind to force an extra-time win over their most bitter rivals - in their own backyard.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 14th minute header beat Courtois, but the Belgian put in an unbelievable performance to keep Los Blancos at bay for the remaining 106 minutes of the match. And at the other end, goals from Diego Costa and Miranda gave Atletico the trophy, beating current Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in the process.

And this term

(Photo: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno)

"He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world" declared Tata Martino as Courtois made save after save in the quarter-final first leg at Camp Nou, as Atleti held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw. It was another night where Courtois foiled Lionel Messi - on five occasions this term the Argentine has failed to beat the big Belgian - as he made countless excellent saves to keep Los Cules at bay.

Once again Courtois has enjoyed a phenomenal campaign, conceding just 20 goals and keeping 17 clean sheets in La Liga (31 games) so far and only five in the Champions League (nine matches), where Atleti remain the only unbeaten side left.

Throw in that he's conceded just twice in his last eight matches, and that Belgium's youngest ever keeper looks to have firmly seen off Simon Mignolet to be their undisputed No.1 at the World Cup - even slamming the Liverpool keeper in February, telling him to stay "humble and respectful" - and life is looking pretty good for the on-loan Atleti stopper right about now.

Oh and he has his own word - Thibauting!

Remember that planking sensation? Well in Belgium (and Spain) they pay homage to Courtois, with Thibauting.

Quite simply, in any location, Courtois fans re-enact saves and send in their pictures. Last November, it was included in a poll for Belgian sports word of the year.